


Wise Men and Fools

by enemytosleep



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Gen, Heist, Plans, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-01 13:56:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17245475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enemytosleep/pseuds/enemytosleep
Summary: They plan their next heist, but is it simply a fool’s errand?





	Wise Men and Fools

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sathari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sathari/gifts).



> Written for the 2018 Fandom_Stocking exchange on Dreamwidth.

“This does not seem wise.” 

“Oh Fran, the difference between a wise man and a fool is but the width of a dagger’s edge.” She narrowed her already fierce eyes over the lip of her drink. “I promise you this is not a fool’s errand.” He almost meant it, too. 

She placed her tea on the small table of their private lounge, and wrapped her long clawed fingers around the mug, her gaze piercing. “The imperial forces will be many in number. It is possible they have discovered the underground paths by now.”

Balthier glanced around the room once again, a paranoid habit that kept him one step ahead of the bounty hunters. Fran swiveled her large ears, making the same sweep. This airship port was one of the smallest in Ivalice, in the tiny desert kingdom of Rabanastre, but the empire’s presence was apparent the moment the Strahl had touched down. They needed to be careful here.

He leaned across the table and lowered his voice. “It is quite possible, yes, but we would be fools not to take this chance at the royal treasure — before the empire sinks its claws into it.” They looked at each other hard for a moment, saying nothing.

It was Fran who broke the silence. “I thought you desired no part of the war?” 

“Indeed, but a chance to thwart the great leviathan of Archadia and revel in the spoils is a chance worth taking.” That was mostly true, of course. The royal treasury was sure to hold enough gold and magicked items to set them up for months. It was true also that Balthier harbored no real love for the empire with its laws and restrictions. A man had to earn a living, but a man also needed his freedoms.

Fran considered his words for a moment. “There is something there that you desire, more than gold … or perhaps it is something _he_ desires?” 

So she had figured him out yet again. Balthier rated himself a rather good liar, but the viera always seemed to sniff out the truth, often inexplicably. 

“Perhaps,” he said, “if the rumors are true. Am I that transparent?”

“No, but this desire I understand.”

“Will you accompany me, then, knowing what we might find?”

“I am always with you.”

“Indeed, you have been, and for that I must once again offer my sincerest thanks.” He lifted his glass, and she lifted her tea. They each nodded and took a sip of their drink, enjoying this bit of respite before the next stage of his plan was underway.


End file.
